Spanish
Puerto Plata.- The challenges of cruise tourism in Puerto Plata and its growth prospects were evaluated by industry experts during the second Cruise Season Summit held at Iberostar Costa Dorada, as an initiative of Nice Dominicana.
In the first panel moderated by Junior García, María José Berbel, director of Iberostar Costa Dorada, Henry Ulloa, director of Emotions Playa Dorada, José María Spart, Julio Almonte and Samuel Vázquez from Casa Marina Beach & Reef, who evaluated the experience of visitors who choose a day pass at hotels in the area during their visit to Puerto Plata, which promotes the possibility of them coming to spend a longer stay at the hotels in Puerto Plata.
The second panel featured the participation of Grecia Gómez, executive director of ASHONORTE, Nilson Martínez, vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, Camilo Brugal, president of the Hotel Association of the City Center, and Ramón Paulino, president of the Santiago Tourist Cluster, who raised the need to guarantee traffic management, maintain the city's attractions and the supervision of service providers, as well as the Chamber of Commerce's offer to assist entrepreneurs interested in investing in the city.
The Santiago Tourist Cluster presented the main cultural, historical, and gastronomic attractions that the city offers as an alternative destination for cruise visitors, as part of the initiative, "Two Cities One Destination."
The third panel, also moderated by Edgar Lantigua, featured the participation of Katy Valdéz, from Exploratur, Anthony González, from Caribbean Adventure Tours, and Manuel Carbajo, from Mega Adventure DR, who considered the impact of excursions on communities, the need to create new attractions and places to visit given the growth in the number of visitors.
They also drew attention to the deterioration of some access roads, a product of the rains and the passage of time, and considered the support provided by Digesett, Politur and other instances in situations that require assistance.
The fourth panel, moderated by Jezabel García, featured the participation of Sharon Mei, manager of Amber Cove port, Rigoberto Gómez, manager of Taíno Bay port, and Federico Schad, director of the Samaná tourist port, who highlighted the importance of the first impression visitors take away, the experience of the Semaná port, its rise and decline, as well as the construction of the new port that seeks to recover the dynamism of years ago.
Sharon Mei highlighted industry statistics, emphasizing that as of July, the country has received more than 1 million 819 thousand cruise passengers, 80 percent of whom arrived in Puerto Plata.
He indicated that although all types of vessels are arriving, most are standard, luxury ones represent a smaller percentage and that most passengers are from the United States.
Leonardo Medrano, CEO of Nice Dominicana and director of Tourism of the Municipal Council highlighted that the Council is currently working on the creation of the music walk and the walk of love to create new attractive spaces to take photos and have memories of the destination.
Celine Medrano, CEO of Nice Dominicana and who was in charge of conducting the event, highlighted its importance to ensure the sustainability of cruise tourism and its continued growth.
During the event, recognitions were given to Mr. Pablo T. Brugal, founder of Apolo Tours, Ninoska Núñez de Camel, Rosaida González for the rum experience of Vinícola del Norte, to Chocolate del Oro, a factory that receives visitors, the Amber Museum, the Federation of Northern Vendors and Artisans, FEDANORTE, the Tourist Transportation Association, the businessman Eduardo Comprés, Ocean World Adventure Park and Mayor Diómedes Roque García.
